


Crimson Memorial

by koalathebear



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 14:25:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In the crowd before Herc, there were many weeping faces. The incense was burning thick and fragrant and the flowers, photographs and tributes lined the path leading to the memorial stone. Hong Kong was one of the few places that had continued to retain its faith and trust in the Jaegers rather than electing to construct an Anti-Kaiju Wall. The Wei brothers had been most beloved and their deaths were like a raw and open wound that would take many years to heal."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crimson Memorial

**Author's Note:**

> Not shippy. Just my own little tribute to Crimson Typhoon and the Wei Tang brothers who had such little screen time but were such a striking presence.

It was unusual to see Marshall Hercules Hansen looking so formal. His usual scuffed RAAF jacket was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Herc was wearing a tailored suit under a fine-looking topcoat, all shades of navy blue and charcoal except for the pale blue shirt. There were no stars on his collar but command and authority sat on his broad shoulders effortlessly. His cropped, dark hair gleamed red in the Hong Kong sunlight and for once, he was clean-shaven. His face was grave, his blue eyes steady. 

He stood tall and straight on the platform which was set high up on a hill that overlooked Hong Kong's harbour.

Near Herc was a large framed photograph of the Wei triplets, their grave, youthful faces staring at the large, sorrowful crowd. To the side of the platform, dressed in a severe black suit with a narrow skirt and a white armband around her left arm stood Mako Mori, holding three bouquets of fragrant flowers. At her side, was her co-pilot, Raleigh Becket, tall and lean, his usually tousled dark blond hair tamed neatly. Like Mako, he wore a severe-looking black suit with a white arm band. Tendo Choi stood beside Becket, also in a dark suit and arm band, but looking uncomfortable and ill at ease, pulling on the tie around his neck as though it strangled.

Tendo stopped fidgeting though when the crowd became silent and Hercules Hansen began speaking, his voice with its iconic Australian accent, calm and measured. 

"I am here today to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the brothers Wei – Wei Cheung, Wei Hu and Wei Jin, the pilots of the Jaeger that was known as Crimson Typhoon. Together, the Wei brothers successfully defended Hong Kong Port seven times." Herc paused. "Hong Kong was Crimson Typhoon’s home base from its first mission and the people of Hong Kong have been the Wei brothers' family."

In the crowd before Herc, there were many weeping faces. The incense was burning thick and fragrant and the flowers, photographs and tributes lined the path leading to the memorial stone. Hong Kong was one of the few places that had continued to retain its faith and trust in the Jaegers rather than electing to construct an Anti-Kaiju Wall. The Wei brothers had been most beloved and their deaths were like a raw and open wound that would take many years to heal. 

"Although only 26 years old, the Wei brothers and their Jaeger Crimson Typhoon are credited with eight kaiju kills. I consider myself to have been privileged enough to have the honour to fight along-side the Wei brothers on no less than three occasions. At Ho Chi Minh City, during Kojiyama's attack at the Bohai Sea and finally, during Otachi's attack here in Hong Kong earlier this month where tragically, Wei Cheung, Wei Hu and Wei Jin lost their lives during their selfless defence of the city they loved."

Raleigh reached out and took Mako's small, cold hand in his. They both remembered the sorrow and terror of that day very clearly. The tragic and senseless loss of life, watching as Crimson Typhoon was torn apart by Otachi. The memorial service for Cherno Alpha took place a week ago and was raw and painful, but this service, here at Crimson Typhoon's home base was steeped in an even deeper type of sorrow. Mako moved closer to Raleigh, shivering slightly. These memorial services are important, but each one is extremely confronting and she knows that they are taking a toll on Herc.

"Since the beginning of the Kaiju War, we have lost far too many Rangers and I have lost more friends than I can count," Herc continued. "The brothers Wei lost their parents early in the Kaiju War and have no parents to grieve their passing. My own son lost his life in battle against the kaiju and now I grieve the deaths of Cheung, Hu and Jin as if they were my own sons."

His voice became choked at that point and he stopped speaking for a moment, clearing his throat before continuing.

He reached out and draws the cloth of black silk away from the large, polished stone, into which is carved the personal dragon symbol of the Wei brothers.

The stone is just that, a stone. There are no bodies or ashes beneath the surface as no bodies were ever recovered – it was the same situation for Sasha Kaidonovsky, Aleksis Kaidonovsky, Stacker Pentecost, Chuck Hansen … and Yancy Becket. 

"On behalf of all Jaeger pilots and the people of Hong Kong, I wish to thank the Wei brothers for their contribution. We will always remember you."

Mako and Raleigh walked forward and placed flowers at the stone, sinking to their knees before the stone with a stick of incense in their hands as they closed their eyes and bow.

Herc was last, walking forward slowly and placing a basketball at the stone, murmuring his own quiet prayer and words of thanks.

After the service as the attendees dispersed, Mako and Raleigh walked towards their commanding officer who was fielding press inquiries and enduring camera flashes and microphones being shoved at him.

"Do you ever feel guilty that Striker didn’t intervene earlier during the battle with Otachi? The Wei brothers might still be alive," a journalist with a pronounced American accent demanded as she thrust a microphone in Herc's face.

To his credit, Herc didn’t flinch. "Jaeger numbers were drastically depleted. Striker was needed for Operational Pitfall and our initial role in the fight that day was to provide back-up. Had we been involved earlier, Striker might have been destroyed then and Operational Pitfall would have failed. Hindsight provides great clarity but there is little to be gained by second guessing old decisions," Herc replied calmly.

Eventually, he disengaged himself from the group of journalists and cameramen and came over his two Rangers who waited for him a short distance away. They were due back at the Hong Kong Shatterdome shortly for meetings and discussions relating to the Second Jaeger Programme, but all had wanted to give the Wei brothers the farewell and thanks that they deserved.

"You did well, Marshall," Mako said with admiration in her dark eyes.

"Yeah, great job," Raleigh agreed, his blue eyes very sincere. 

Herc grimaced. Fine words and ceremonies had never been his strong point but as a soldier and a parent, he knew the importance of such things.

"They'll be missed," he said soberly.

Mako tucked one arm through Herc's arm and the other through Raleigh's and smiled up at them both. The three of them began the long walk back to the Shatterdome, sharing memories.

"Did you ever see the Thundercloud formation?" Raleigh asked Mako. "It was awesome."

"I remember Marshall Hansen playing basketball with them," Mako reminisced.

"So they kicked his ass?" Raleigh asked.

"Yes" Mako said at the same time Herc replied,"No bloody way."

As they walked back to the Shatterdome, Herc glanced back at the memorial stone and said his silent farewell to the Wei Triplets, reflecting that it was fitting that the stone looked out over the wide expanse of the harbour that the pilots had protected so loyally.


End file.
